Peugeot 5008 review

To give a sense of dynamism, the window line rakes upwards at the rear, before meeting the rear light

The rear lights have rows of horizontal lines for the LED tail lights

Four separate grilles adorn the front of the 5008, with smaller faux vents beneath the lights

A panoramic glass roof is standard on top-spec Exclusive variants

Steering wheel is positioned at the same angle as a 308 hatchback’s, despite the raised driving position

Comfortable front seats are easy to adjust; the passenger’s seat back folds flat

The front head restraints get neat hoods to cover the video screens, a useful security touch

Second row comprises three roomy seats that slide and recline individually

Seats fold quickly and easily; boot is big as long as rearmost seats are stowed

Speed is beamed onto a plastic screen on the dashboard using the head-up display

The 5008's brakes are strong, and resist fade well

Only the 1.6-litre petrol engine will power the 5008 to 62mph in less than 10secs

The six-speed torque converter feels antiquated compared to the best new autos

Two diesel engines are offered in 1.6 and 2.0-litre capacities

The 5008 comes with a switchable traction and stability system that’s well suited to adverse conditions

Ride is comfortable yet not too wallowy over motorway undulations

The 5008 is a step forward for Peugeot, though not the compact MPV genre

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There’s genuine relevance to Peugeot’s use of the number five in its naming of the 5008 people carrier. In the annals of Peugeot’s history, a five suggests genuine practicality.

It was used on the 504 and 505 large saloon and wagon that spanned the late 1960s to the mid-1990s. The latter offered up to eight forward-facing seats long before the MPV proper arrived, thanks to a row of chairs in its boot, and gathered a world-renowned reputation for versatility and robustness. Visit certain parts of Africa today and you’ll still find 505s used as taxis and general family workhorses.

The 5008 shares components with the Citroen C4 Picasso, but they couldn't look more different

Peugeot hasn’t offered a medium-sized MPV before, however; the larger 807 was its most recent people carrier, which was built in response to the vogue for voluminous ‘minivans’ that the original Renault Espace and Chrysler Voyager sparked in the late ’90s. The 806/807 was built in Valenciennes, France, as part of a joint venture between Peugeot brand owner PSA and Fiat SpA.

The 5008, though, is a smaller ‘onebox’ utility car entirely in the current tradition. It offers five or seven seats and is available with a range of four-cylinder petrol and diesel motors of average size and performance. Its high driving position is very much in the same mould as the segment-defining Citroën C4 Grand Picasso, with which the 5008 shares its underpinnings.

The 5008’s introduction, at the end of 2009, coincided neatly with the promotion of Peugeot design director Gilles Vidal, whose influence was already beginning to show itself in the firm’s models. He promised a renaissance in styling direction. At the same time, the company also began to publicly suggest that the driving dynamics of its cars were in line for improvement after an extended period of self-confessed mediocrity. Both agendas augered well for the 5008.